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(ModeL) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1'.

J. A. DE VRIES. DROPPING ATTAGHMENT'FOR 001m PLANTERS.

No. 290,322. Patented Dec. 18, 1883. j I

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(ModeL) 3 Sheets--Sheet 2.

J. A. DE VRIES.

DROPPING ATTACHMENT FOR CORN PLANTERS. No. 290,322. Patented Dec. 18, 1883.

(Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

J. A. DE VRIES. DROPPING ATTACHMENT POR'OORN PLANTERS;

No. 290,322. Patented Dec. 18, 1883.

$656; I fivenzo n- U rrn STATES ATENT FFICEQ J ELLE A. DE VRIES, OF PELLA, IOVA, ASSIGNOR OF TW'O-THIRDS TO LEEN- DEBT KRINDENIER AND D. KRINDENIER, OF SAME PLACE.

DROPPING ATTACHMENT FOR CORN-PLANTERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 290,322, dated December 18, 1883.

Application filed June 30, 1383. (Model) To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, J ELLE A. 1m VRIEs, a citizen of Holland, residing at Bella, in the county of Marion and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dropping Attachments for Corn-Planters; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,

gand to the letters and figures ofreference i marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to mechanism for actuating the markers and the dropper-slide of a corn-planter; and the invention consists in thc construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the annexed drawings, which illustrate the invention, Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved attachment for corn-planters. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the upper platform or track. Fig. fis a plan of the middle track. Fig. 5 is a side elevation, showing the adjustable track raised to a level with the middle track. Figs. 6, 7, 8, and 9 are details to be hereinafter referred to, and Fig. 10 is an end view of seedboxes with markers.

,Like letters of reference designate like parts in the several views. l

A, B, and O are tracks or platforms that are connected at each end by vertical rods or bolts DD. These platforms are elliptical in form, or rounded at each end, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4., and are provided with flanged edges, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. The flanged edge of the upper platform, A, is turned upward and forms a guard for the wheels a a of the upper revolving frame, E, which is composed of links I) b, the ends of which are connected by the screw-threaded ends of vertical rods or wheels, (Z (Z, that engage with the rods or bolts c 0, one sprocket-wheel being placed below each end of the upper platform and one above each end of the lower platform. These sprocket-wheels serve to hold the rods 0 and links I) b in their proper position and enable the vertically-sliding pins F F, the ends of which are sharpened or beveled to form flattened blades or points for more easily penetrating the soil. These pins F may be made solid or hollow, and must be of sufficient weight to engage readily with the soil. Each pin F car- '6 5 ries a wheel or roller, 6, that is arranged to run on the middle platform or track, B, which has an adjustable section, G, on one side, that, when lowered so as to rest on the lower platform, 0,

will permit the rollers c, after traversing the sta- 7o tionaryportion of the mid dle platform or track, B, to drop from its-end, thus carrying the pins F down, and causing them to penetrate the ground on one side of the device. Whilethe adjustable section or slide G of the middle V 1 track, B, remains lowered and resting upon the lower platform, 0, as shown in Fig. 2, the pins F F on that side of the mechanism will be projected into the ground, so that as the planter is drawn forward the friction of the pins in the soil will cause the rollers e c on that side to travel back over the movable track-section G until they reach the foot of an incline, H,

- over which they mount to the stationary portion B of the middle track, thus elevating the pins F and carrying them to the opposite side of the mechanism, where the wheels 6 6, being supported upon and traveling on the stationary middle track, B, will hold their attached pins from the ground until each wheel 0 comes 0 in succession to the forward end of said track, and after turning its curve falls down upon the section G and again carries its pin F into the soil. While the planter is being drawn forward the wheels e e continue to travel over 5 the tracks B G and inclineH, being actuated by the contact of the pins F with the ground v on one side. The sliding pins F are thus successivcly raised and lowered, and at the same time cause the flexible frames E E to revolve around the bolts 'D D in an elliptical path. Each pin F is provided with a loop or hook,

f, that is passed loosely around the adjoining bolt 0, and serves as a guide-brace for the pin in its vertical reciproeations.

To the bolts D D are connected curved arms I I, the ends of which are screw-threaded and provided with nuts for attachment to one side of the planter J. The forward bolt D is provided with a forwardly-projecting curved rod, K, that carries a horizontal frame, 9, in which is journaled a short shaft, h, one end of which carries an arm, i, that is connected to the dropper-slide of the planter. The rear end of the shaft h is provided with arms k 7;, that are alternately struck by pins or projections mm on the revolving frames E E, said pins on, m be ing placed about three and a half feet apart, or at such distances as to actuate the dropper at the required intervals. The curved arms I I and K are pivoted to the bolts D D in sn ch a manner that the attachment can be readily connected to the frame of the planter in the required position.

When it is desired to hold the pins F F away from the ground, so that they will not come in contact therewith in turning the machine or in moving from place to place, the adjustable track G and incline II will be raised to a level with the track B, thus elevating the pins F F on that side of the attachment. It will be observed that the upper end of the incline H is hinged to the rear end of the track 13, while its lower or forward end rests on the rear end of the adjustable track -section G. This adjustable track-section G is provided with vertical rods 1) 1), that are connected by a handle, 8, with which the track G can be raised when desired, thereby elevating the incline H,

together with the pins F F, whose wheels cc rest on said adjustable track and incline. \Vhen the track G and incline II are in this elevated position, they are supported by a lug, t, on the lower end of a lever, L, Fig. 7, which lug engages in a notch or recess in the under side of the track G, and so holds it andthe incline II in line with the stationary middle track. All the pins F F are thus supported away from contact with the ground, so that as the planter is moved the frames E E will remain-at restthat is, they will not revolve and consequently the dropper mechanism'will not be actuated. The machine can then be readily moved from place to place as desired.

\Vhen it is desired to lower the pins F F on one side in position to actuate the dropper mechanism, the adjustable track-section Gwill be lowered by throwing the upper end of the lever L forward, thereby disengaging the lug or catch 1. The track Gwill then descend, an opening being formed in its side to clear the lug t, and those pins F F whose wheels 0 c are on the track G and incline H will be lowered to the ground in position to actuate the 'revolving frames E E and their pins an m as the planter is drawn forward. The wheels 0 e, as before described, will then travel over the track B to its end, whence they drop to the track G, carrying their attached pins F into the soil. After passing over the track G, the wheels c c mount the inclines H, thus raising their attached pins, so that as the wheels 0 progress over the track 13 the pins will be held out of the soil. It will thus be observed that these pins F are in contact with the ground. only while on one side of the machine. The pins F F should be of suflicient weight to penetrate or engage with the ground when dropped from the end of the track B; but in order to insure this result a roller, M, may be arranged to bear on the head or upper end of each pin as it is dropped from the track. This roller M is journaled on the end of a shaft, N, Fig. 9, that is mounted on a spindle or bolt carrying a spring, I, that holds the roller down upon the heads of the pins as they drop from the track 13, thus forcing them into the soil.

To the sides of the seed-boxes Q Q, Fig. 10, are attached brackets It R, each of which supports a verticallymoving marker, S, the'heads of the markers being connected by a cord, T, that passes over a pulley or roller, U, inthc upper end of each bracket, and is attached to the arm i on the dropper-slide. Each marker is curved, as shown, and is provided with a spring, V, by which it is forced to the ground after being raised by the oscillation of the arm 6, acting through the connecting-cord T. The flexible revolving frame E E, acting through the shaft h and its arms 2' k 70, thus actuates both the dropper-slide and the markers, the latter indicating where the corn is planted.

From the foregoing description the operation of the mechanism will be readily understood.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with the dropping mechanism of a corn-planter provided with shaft h, having arms i is k, of the flexible revolving frames E E, carrying vertically-sliding pins F F, and pins or studs m m, for actuating the shaft h and its arms, substantially as described.

:2. The combination, with the flexible revolving frames E E, of the vertically-sliding pins 'F F, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination of the flanged tracks/A B 0, adjustable track G, incline H, flexible revolving frames E E, having wheels ac, and the vertically-sliding pins F F, having wheels 0 c, substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination of the tracks A B C, adjustable track G, incline H, flexible revolvin g frames E E, having wheels at a, the vertically-sliding pins F'F, carrying wheels 0 e,'..the

roller M, and spring "P, substantially as shown 'IIS i and vertically-sliding pins F F, having wheels 6 e, of the incline H, adjustable track G, having rods 1) p, and handle 8, and the lockinglever L, substantially as shown and described.

6. The combination of the flanged tracks A B 0, adjustable track G, incline H, flexible revolving frames E E, connected by bolts 0 0, and having wheels at a and pins on m, the bolts D, carrying sprocketwheels d cl, the verticallysliding pins F F, having wheels e e and guideloops ff, the suspension-rods I I, and the curved rod K, carrying the dropper-actuating mechanism, substantially as shown and described.

JELLE A. DE VRIES.

Witnesses:

HENRY NOLLEN, P. H. BOUSQUET. 

